JACK SELECTED TO FISH FOR ENGLAND FOR THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING!

Jack Blakey, Year 8 student at Richmond School, recently received news that he had been selected to represent England in the youth fly fishing squad for the third year running. Not only that, but he also received a letter from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak congratulating him on his third year of selection. “A fantastic achievement” he wrote!

Recently Jack travelled with his family down to Pitsford and Ravensthorpe reservoirs near Northampton for a team training weekend. The fishing events are ‘loch style’ meaning that competitors board boats which disappear out onto the water at the start of the competition, sometimes only returning when it’s time to moor up at the end of the day. Parents, spectators and supporters are left in suspense on the shore until the competitors return with news of their catches!

Jack will join the rest of the England squad later on this summer for his third Youth International Fly Fishing Championships, competing against Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

Jack said: “We fished at the International final in Ireland in 2022 and got silver. We fished at Wales in 2023 and brought home bronze. This year on our own water at Grafham we are going for gold!”

We wish Jack all the best at the International in the summer and look forward to hearing about it when he returns!